Ahmadinejad on Thursday outlined where he thinks U.S. policy needs to change.

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) - Iran's parliament speaker has criticized U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for saying that Iran's development of a nuclear weapon is unacceptable.

Ali Larijani said on Saturday Obama should apply his campaign message of change to U.S. dealings with Iran.

"Obama must know that the change that he talks about is not simply a superficial changing of colors or tactics," Larijani said in comments carried by the semi-official Mehr News Agency.

"What is expected is a change in strategy, not the repetition of objections to Iran's nuclear program which will be taking a step in the wrong direction."

In his first post-election news conference Friday afternoon, Obama reiterated that he believes a nuclear-armed Iran would be "unacceptable." He also said he would help mount an international effort to prevent it from happening.

Larijani said U.S. behavior toward Iran "will not change so simply," but that Obama's election showed internal conditions in the United States have shifted.

soundoff(52 Responses)

These are the guys BO wants to sit down and chat with. The same guys who old the UN that they would turn Isreal into a burning pile of rubble. This is what hype over substance gets us America.

November 8, 2008 10:28 am at 10:28 am |

Maggie

Ha ha, Iran thinks it can tell the United States what to do or tell Obama what to say? I think they better realize that even though the campaign was contentious, we are still United!!

November 8, 2008 10:30 am at 10:30 am |

Moving on

It is a simple statement, stop trying to make nukes and we will talk. The majority of the world agrees that Iran should not have Nukes and that they cannot be trusted to build their own nuclear program based on past behavior. Maybe the Iranian government should look themselves before making stupid statements.

November 8, 2008 10:34 am at 10:34 am |

gerri

No nukes are good nukes.

November 8, 2008 10:35 am at 10:35 am |

Joe the mechanic.

Get used to it Iran. Obama is open minded but not easy.

November 8, 2008 10:36 am at 10:36 am |

Chris

Ahmadinejad is playing with fire. But this is good; all the rogue leaders of the world are extremely underestimating Obama and his skills and determination. They will be very surprised at how tough they are going to have it in the coming years.

They think he is truly an inexperienced wimp, and will just let them do what they want.

They are in for a rude awakening.

November 8, 2008 10:38 am at 10:38 am |

geraldine

I wonder if he regrets endorsing Obama and offering the first Iranian congratulations to a President Elect in 30 years? I'll wager not. There are few people around the world that slept easier Tuesday night (Wednesday night in Tehran, to be literal) than this man.

November 8, 2008 10:41 am at 10:41 am |

TJ Johnson

Well there you go, Big O. Thought you could handle everything with a "cool" philosophy toward all? You have already made one major enemy. Gee, I thought it was only "Cowboy" George Bush who could do that... Note that "cool" doesn not impress anyone except the stupid.

November 8, 2008 10:42 am at 10:42 am |

TJ Johnson

Well there you go, Big O. Thought you could handle everything with a "cool" philosophy toward all? You have already made one major enemy. Gee, I thought it was only "Cowboy" George Bush who could do that... Note that "cool" does not impress anyone except the stupid.

November 8, 2008 10:43 am at 10:43 am |

Vic

Hoboy! Here we go. Good luck to our new President Elect.

November 8, 2008 10:44 am at 10:44 am |

Maggie Muggins From Selwyn

From my perspective there isn't any logical way Iran will ever be prevented from developing nuclear weapons. When Iran sees other countries being invaded by more powerful nations they know full well their only chance for a relatively peaceful existence might be in them becoming a nuclear power.

November 8, 2008 10:46 am at 10:46 am |

William A. Schaedler from St. Louis

I find Obama's election to the presidency to be unacceptable.

November 8, 2008 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

David

Obama is making the world happy already.

November 8, 2008 11:03 am at 11:03 am |

Pipe down

Our special forces would like to have a conversation with him

November 8, 2008 11:04 am at 11:04 am |

bill for barack

A nuclear Iran is unacceptable.
Obama is right in saying what he said.

November 8, 2008 11:04 am at 11:04 am |

mitch

i have news for you iran! barack has said this all along. do not expect a free ride. change in america does not mean your support for terrorists will come without more costs to you.

November 8, 2008 11:05 am at 11:05 am |

DING DONG

WHY DO WE GIVETHAT IDOIT FROM IRAN SO MUCH COVER

November 8, 2008 11:05 am at 11:05 am |

PZ

Looks like Ahmadinejad has lots to say about the "change" he expects...

November 8, 2008 11:08 am at 11:08 am |

T in Kzoo

Just because Obama is willing to hear you out doesn't mean that everything is peachy between Iran and the rest of the world now. Iran having a nuclear weapon is unacceptable, and it will always be unacceptable. Obama has been saying this from the beginning. If Iran didn't like, they should've complained a long time ago. Otherwise, they're just trying to see how far they can push President-elect Obama. If they're not careful, they'll end up like the McCain campaign and destroy themselves.

November 8, 2008 11:09 am at 11:09 am |

Randall in LA - No More Bush Doctrine

I hope President Obama doesn't get off track by putting his war footing ahead of his domestic policy agenda. Barack, my whole family voted for you. Don't go down the path of the Bush Doctrine. America and you have come too far to get caught up in preemptive strikes against Iran. If Iran plans on using nukes, then they will pay a very heavy price – the full force of the U.S. military. Iran knows if it ever launched a nuke at Israel or Iraq, they would be utterly destroyed. Deal with it at that point. Besides, if Iran's adversaries in the region understand that you will not be a part of the Bush Doctrine, then they will have no choice but to deal with Iran on their own terms when they choose to do so.

November 8, 2008 11:09 am at 11:09 am |

Chris from St. Louis

... I wouldn't mind Obama sending the Iranian president a 'thank you note' in response to the congratulatory note. It is a civilized act and will setup a good example ...

November 8, 2008 11:12 am at 11:12 am |

Over taxed, over worked

Why do we think we can tell Iran what to do? The politicians are supposed to protect America. We are being destroyed by illegal immigration and we tell other countries what to do. Israel can handle themselves, they are very good at military defense. We're broke and we have no business over there, it doesn't threaten our national security. It threatens our national security when we are over there telling everybody what to do. They hate when we think we can just come in and start demanding who does what.

November 8, 2008 11:13 am at 11:13 am |

Sean Chong

You know, Obama is elected by Americans, so his role is to solve American problems first, and he's not supposed to side with any other countries. So whenever has Iran ever thought of America?

November 8, 2008 11:14 am at 11:14 am |

Briana the college student

Ahmadinejad should have known that the United States will never be on his side no matter who is president. I hope someone takes him out.

November 8, 2008 11:15 am at 11:15 am |

Hope

We will not accept a nuclear Iran, we should eliminate these sites immediately.